How fast do Xanax withdrawals appear?

Hello everyone,

I've been using Xanax off and on for about 5 years (I would say less than once a week). Since March 2016 though I've progressively started to use because of high peaks of anxiety almost every day. I've tried to keep a journal of my dosage because I know how dangerous this drug is (I witnessed my ex-girlfriend get off Xanax for months, it was truly horrible). So I've been using:
- 0.25mg every other day from March to April
- 0.25mg every day from May to June
- 0.5mg every day from July to September
- 0.5mg to 1mg every day from September until now
(Beautiful example of how the tolerance is built and that it took me months to realise that I needed to do something... I'm kind of scared).

Now I intend to follow a slow tapering plan of course. But I was wondering how quickly do the withdrawal effects appear? For example, I took my last dose of Xanax 2 days ago (not untentionnally, I just wasn't feeling anxious) and this morning I felt a terrible hangover, muscle pain, terribly dizzy, brain fog... In short very uncomfortable, it's hard to describe, and I want to ask you if this could be withdrawal effects, if it's possible to feel THAT BAD after only two days of no Xanax; I know I have been "only" be using DAILY since May and that the dosage is not "that high", but I still want to know. I am scared but prepared to go through this.

Oh yes. That is withdrawal and your dose is "that high". Xanax doses sound tiny but they are powerful. You can go back down to lower doses but should do it very gradually. Read some of the threads around here where people taper down their benzo. Either Xanax or Ativan (lorazepam) or Klonopin, they all are benzos and should taper in much the same way.